Being told that she and her comrades were still alive was a relief to Kilisha, but it wasn't until they were returned to solid ground that her fears were completely driven away. Knowing that Gabbagi had fallen was unpleasant, but Kilisha's spirits picked up at Bunny's reminder that the kids had been saved.

"Yeah, let's... get on that," Kilisha said in response to Bunny's words, ready to get far away from Belvoken as soon as she could.

Even if the place had been had been blasted to a crater, the succubus didn't want to hang around there any longer than she had to. She hoped the destruction of the town had released the souls trapped there, but she decided to keep an arrow ready just in case anything else had survived and been released onto the path back to Doma.

Grumbling at the mage's obnoxiousness, Duile suddenly noticed that his bag would need to be replaced. "Damn." he muttered under his breath, as the half-elf turned to more important matters. Namely the Cap'n's kids.

"Hey Mage, how about giving me a hand with these kids?" Duile asked, picking up DeMalo's son, who was still sound asleep. The boy had to be no more than at least six or seven years old. His sister lay close by.

As Kilisha silently started down the path, she felt the fear that had gripped her throughout the entire trip through Belvoken falling away with every step she took away from the place. Despite that, she had no intention of letting her alertness drop until she was off the trail and back in the city of Doma. With the reward money she was going to get for this job, she planned on indulging herself with a few days rest in the city. She would have liked to hang around longer, but she hadn't forgotten that she was still being hunted by that Mazoku, Selnu.

For the sake of her newfound friends and for her own safety, Kilisha would have to disappear once again into the safety of the shadows. She might have felt sorry for herself, but she didn't have time for that. She had earned a few days of rest, and she was going to enjoy them. After that, she would just have to go wherever her road took her.

Astrynax was a bit tired, to say the least. He still felt some fatigue and ache from his earlier battles. The 'process' he had gone through had added to the weight, and the prodding of Inana to do her best topped it all off rather unhappily. As it was, he wasn't in the best shape to commit to several mile travel once again... but, hell, he had dealt with worse before. He could deal with it again, couldn't he?

With such in mind, he kept his mind on his plans immediately following the dropping off of the children and the collection of funds... a swift return to Nekonia and potential retirement from this eminently bothersome adventurer/mercenary position. He had enough internal stress to deal with... he didn't need the aches and pains of travel and near death experiences to further add to his pool of concerns.

The path home seemed to be longer than the group rememebered it being. It seemed like forever since they set out on this quest. So much had occurred in the last few days that it felt almost strange for some of them now that they were away from such a hellish place.

Though he had been through hell, Duile couldn't help but feel that he's made a few new friends through out this ordeal. If not friends, then at least comrades in some cases, as he looked over at the mage and chuckled.

Duile didn't know what he was gonna do after this. He'd probably wait a while before taking on another mission, specially after the fat amount of money he was gonna make from this job, should last him a while. He'd have to buy some new supplies and a new bag with which to carry them in. That'd be a good place to start... of course after getting something good to eat once they got back in Doma.

Much Later...

DeMalo sat in his favorite chair, overlooking the ocean through the large window in his study. He tried to keep his spirits up, he needed to have trust in the group's abilities. The old sea captain wouldn't have hired them all if he hadn't felt they were capable of the job at hand.

But it was much too easy to give into sorrow, and fear.

Downstairs, at the foot of the staircase, was Jonesy... busy dusting a vase. He himself was worried, not because of the brats, but because the "window of time" had come and gone... and nothing had changed.

"Something's happened... something's wrong." he kept muttering to himself. His dusting became erratic and frenzied at the thought of failure.

Of course, he really had no idea why he had returned here... and further more... why he had told DeMalo about the brats. Everything during that period felt hazy and clouded... and that too worried him.

Suddenly some sounds could be heard outside the front door to DeMalo's house. A sound of childish giggling. DeMalo emerged from his study, "What... what was that Jonesy?" he asked, curious.

Jonesy slowled backed away from the door as the captain's children burst in through the door. "Daddy!!" they both exclaimed, as they rushed up to the stairs to embrace their father, who was sobbing with joy at seeing them alive.

"You're... both... alive!" he gasped, as the three were finally reunited.

Jonesy was scared stiff, as he tried to quietly exit the premises. As he opened the front door, a gloved hand shot forth as Coppermirth grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt. "Why hello there Jonesy. Fancy meeting you here." he said, grinning.

Astrynax growled slightly. "Well, then," he uttered, in a fairly annoyed tone, "I believe we all have quite a bit to discuss, don't we? I've resolved to head off as soon as possible once the task at hand was finished... but I can always save that for later."

"So what was it for Jonesy? Power? Wealth? Favored Status in whatever hell was going to be unleashed by that ritual?" asked Duile.

DeMalo overheard this, "What's going on here?" he asked, his two children still clutched in his arms.

"This little peckerhead was feeding you lies from the start Cap'n. The children didn't WANT to go to Belvoken... Jonesy here TOOK them to Belvoken. Presumeably via kidnapping." replied Duile, contemplating giving Jonesy to Kilisha, or maybe Astrynax. Though the thought of taking out his aggressions for all the pain and hell he had endured throughout the trip was quite appealing as well.

"Jonesy... is this true?" asked DeMalo, looking quite bewildered at the fact that someone so trusted had done such a terrible act.

"Yeah... tell him Jonesy." ordered Duile, lifting the man up a bit further.

"It's.... It's true. All of it." hissed Jonesy as he glared at the half-elf. "It was a plan that has been set in motion for years. I was chosen to be the one who collected the needed... parts... and deliver them." he added, smiling down at the group.

"You manipulative little.... SNAKE!!!" bellowed the Captain, as he began to march towards the man he once deeply trusted. Barker and Tibbs soon entered the room as well, having heard the Captain raise his voice.

"Som'tin matta Cap'n?" asked Barker, oblivious to what has been transpiring.

"Something the matter? I'll tell you what's the matter. This little shit's been decieving me from DAY ONE!!!" growled the Cap'n, pointing at Jonesy as he barged over, ripping the captive from the Half-Elf's grasp.

"All this time, all that money... all that... TRUST!!!" he said, through clenched teeth. Tibbs and Barker soon closed in as well.

"For what you've put me through, for what you and your collaborators tried to do, and for me playing your dupe... I oughta throttle you till there's nothing left but tanned leather!!!" hissed DeMalo, tears forming in his eyes from the flood of emotions and anger as this realization became more and more apparent in his mind.

"And for the stuff I've had to endure from you and your DAMN KIDS I woulda done it earlier!!!" shouted Jonesy, thrusting a hand towards the Cap'n's side, piercing the flesh with a previously concealed knife.

DeMalo grunted and gasped, collapsing to the floor as Jonesy bolted towards the front entrance, trying to push past the group.

The stabbing somehow took Kilisha by surprise. She cursed under her breath as soon as she realized what had happened and started forward to intercept DeMalo's attacker. At the same time, Jonesy made the mistake of trying to push his way past the group of adventurers.

The man was armed with a knife, and so there was no room to fool around. The moment he was in close, Kilisha flashed out her own knife and went straight for his abdomen, meaning to run the blade up into his heart before he had a chance to use his weapon on anyone else.

"I will not let you be separate from your young again." She said softly and began to play. Her horn glowed softly from under her hood. Her healing song slowly played as she directed it towards the captain.

Oh, Astrynax would pursue the man outside if that's what it took. It was because of this man that he had gone through all of this annoying shite, and he intended for restitution to be paid in full.

... but he doubted that it would go quite that far. As Jonesy went for the door, Asty briefly charged a bit of magical energy before firing twin eyebeams at the man's back. It wouldn't kill him, no, but it would burn somewhat far into the bastard, hopefully stopping and/or stunning him.

Well needless to say, Jonesy was royally screwed the instant he tried to get past the group. Astrynax's eye beams pierced into his back, giving the succubus ample time to find her mark, and plant her knife deep into Jonesy's heart.

The last words Jonesy uttered were not actually words at all, but a muttered gasp as he hit the floor, and was dead within seconds.

Barker and Tibbs were immediately by their Captain's side, as Duile watched Bunny play her flute. "He gonna be ok Bunny?" he asked, looking up at the terrfied children as he asked.

(Dear child why?) Her mothers voice rose above her flute. All of her concentration was on the song so she did not answer. (They hunt us, slay us. And now you take such great measures to help them. Do you think that this man will take your request? I fear your gentle heart will be broken.)

The soft light of Bunny's eyes became apparent as she opened them and looked the children. She smiled as she played.

(oc: Attempting a strong healing spell here. This will have a very negative effect on Bunny's health if it works. Ash its up to you how much it helps him and how much it hurts her. Also mom might appear if Bunny gets to weak. She is a random summon. She is also a very large dragon. Its up to you if she shows up though.)

Astrynax simply grunted, staring at the corpse without a twinge of remorse or despair. Well, he felt perhaps a small amount of pity - for the children who were forced to watch this man's death. The man himself had it coming.